{"id":476,"date":"2025-02-23T14:21:58","date_gmt":"2025-02-23T08:36:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nndswo.org.np\/?page_id=476"},"modified":"2025-02-26T16:36:51","modified_gmt":"2025-02-26T10:51:51","slug":"sajha-aawaj","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/nndswo.org.np\/?page_id=476","title":{"rendered":"Sajha Aawaj"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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1 | P a g e
SAJHA AAWAJ
SAJHA AAWAJ is a consortium project of Nepal National Dalit Social Welfare Organization
(NNDSWO), Finn Church Aid (FCA) and Media Advocacy Group (MAG) with the main financial
support from European Union and co-finance from FCA. The project aims to combat caste-based
discrimination (CBD) by creating an enabling environment for CBD people to restore their dignity
and enjoy rights to non-discrimination, effective participation and access to services and justice.
The project intends to build solidarity of wider communities against CBD, support for
implementation of laws and policies against CBD. It also contributes to strengthen democratic
institutions and promote partnership at local level for economic empowerment of the target groups.
Overall objective of the project: To contribute to elimination of caste-based discrimination
(CBD) and promotion of human rights of all (Dalits and non-Dalits people).
Specific Objective (outcome) of the project: Strengthening implementation of legal frameworks
related to equality and non-discrimination for enhancing effective participation and access to
services and justice to persons affected by CBD.
Project Period: November 2017 – April 2020
Total budget: EUR- 800032
Project location: Kalikot, Jajarkot, Surkhet, Mahottari and Siraha districts
Target group: Community members (Dalits and Non-Dalits) [13,500], Leaders of grassroot level
organizations [640], members of ward committee\/citizen forums[300], Religious leaders [60],
Local political leaders [160], Police officials[80], Journalists at local level [35], teachers and
Members of School Management Committees [SMCs) [180], youths\/students [3,000], Local
schools [60], Grass-root level organizations [Mother groups-80, youth clubs 80], CSOs at district
and national level [110], district chapter of Federation of Nepalese Journalists ( FNJ) [5] and local
bodies [25]. The total expected beneficiaries of the project are 192,396 catchment population from
five districts, including 42,033 Dalits.
2 | P a g e
BREAKING DOWN THE CULTURAL IMPOSITION
Babita Paswan, 34, a resident of Simraha Tole, Sakhuwanankatti Rural Municipality, Siraha
district, lives with her son and two daughters who study in grade 8, 10, and 5. Babita lost her
husband 11 years ago. Though she had attained higher education, she was restricted to work as a
labor in the village due to the conservative Maithili society which considers widow women
inauspicious ‘Alichini\u2019 (in Nepali). And fearing that many people would talk behind her back, she
forced herself to live within the four walls of her house, irrespective of her education and
capability. Being helpless and voiceless, she endured the pain of multiple discrimination for being
– a Dalit woman, and a widow.
Babita slowly broke down the cultural imposition and began to participate in communal activities
and social gatherings. She became a member of the Human Rights Advocacy Alliance (HRAA)
supported by the SAJHA AAWAJ project. This gave her the opportunity to participate in the
training on Human Rights and Discrimination, interaction programs, workshop, and social
discussion after which she gained extensive information and knowledge about human rights.
With this, she learned that there are legal penalties against caste based discrimination (CBD) which
is enshrined in Nepal’s Constitution, then she started to raise public awareness on anti-CBD and
untouchability. She even managed to get a job as an ‘Office Assistant’ in the rural municipality.
She, was once oppressed for being a widow Dalit woman, now she has regained respect and is an
inspiration to many women in the community.
The status of most women in Maithili society is pitiful. The women are imposed with rules that
restrict their mobility, independence, and decision-making authority. Women are confined to
household chores; restricted to participate in social functions and activities, and their faces often
needs to be covered with a veil. Therefore, even educated women like Babita are pushed backward
Photo: Babita Paswan
3 | P a g e
by social, economic, political, and cultural factors. Dalit women are more vulnerable in this
regard. However, Babita’s success story is an example of a society where single Dalit women are
looked down upon and degraded. She owes her success to the SAJHA AAWAJ project which
provided her the opportunity to gain new knowledge, built confidence, and enabled her to
transform herself. She is also optimistic about the transformed society that is gender-equal and
inclusive.
4 | P a g e
SAJHA AAWAJ PROMOTES SOCIAL COHESION
AMONG DALITS AND NON-DALITS
Shivalaya Rural Municipality is the
smallest among 6 local units in the
western part of Jajarkot. The
community is highly conservative
and deeply entangled in traditional
malpractices such as shamanism and
untouchability. The community
consists of people from different
castes and creeds including Brahmin,
Chhetri, Dalits, and Thakuris. Still,
discriminatory practices persist in the
name of God and tradition such as;
restriction in inter-caste marriage
between Dalits and Non-Dalits, Dalits
not allowed to enter temples and
participate in religious functions,
discrimination in public places such
as public tap and even death rituals.
Tanga village, Ward No. 3, in Shivalaya Rural Municipality is dominated by the so-called upper
caste-Brahmin, Chhetri, and Thakuris. Therefore, Dalits were forced to live in unproductive land,
work in low labor wages, and are often restricted in the temple. Dalits were not only underpaid but
were also highly devalued with no dignity. Further, Dalits worked in Non-Dalits houses during
death rituals but Non-Dalits did not participate in the death rituals of Dalits.
However, after NNDSWO, FCA and MAG jointly implemented SAJHA AAWAJ project in
Shivalaya rural municipality, there have been many programs related to anti-CBD and
untouchability that brought Dalit and Non-Dalit stakeholders together for raising collective voices
against CBD and Untouchability. The project organized interaction programs, orientations,
training, and other related activities to create awareness on Dalit rights enshrined in the
Constitution for the promotion and protection of Human Rights and its principles. Local programs
such as inter and intra-community dialogue, and school-level interaction program helped to
promote religious and social tolerance and social dignity of Dalits in the community.
The change was evident when Chakra Damai, a Dalit man of 69 years old, died in Shivalaya rural
municipality when Non-Dalits for the first time participated in the death ritual of a Dalit.
Photo: Chakra Damai’s funeral was attended by both Dalits
and Non-Dalits<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

1 | P a g eSAJHA AAWAJSAJHA AAWAJ is a consortium project of Nepal National Dalit Social Welfare Organization(NNDSWO), Finn […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"full-width-container","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-476","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nndswo.org.np\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/476","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nndswo.org.np\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nndswo.org.np\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nndswo.org.np\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nndswo.org.np\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=476"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/nndswo.org.np\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/476\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":844,"href":"https:\/\/nndswo.org.np\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/476\/revisions\/844"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nndswo.org.np\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=476"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}